Othello - character Flashcards
Explain the quote ‘I fetch my life and being from men of royal siege, and my demerits may speak, unbonneted’
Othello’s identity is consumed by his race and his actions. Throughout the play, he is defined by what he is and the qualities or stereotypes that are associated with it. He is the ‘valiant moor’ because he is a black war general whereas characters such as Michael Cassio, are described as affectionate, honest, and loyal. Whether or not Cassio’s whole being revolves around his line of work is unknown, but it is known to Othello and the people around him, that his whole being revolves around his line of work is unknown, but it is known to Othello and the people around him, that his whole being revolves around his work as the war general. This declaration of Othello could suggest hints of subtle racism perhaps?
Explain the quote ‘My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly’
Iago is used in this scene to cast doubt on the magnificence of Othello subtly persuading him to run away from the scornful Brabantio but Othello, perfectly confident in himself and the virtue in his actions in rhythmic controlled language (Blank verse) tells Iago he must be found : ‘my parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly’ with this line, Othello commands the stage as well as the audience’s admiration as a black general although, this line could be claimed as a smack of arrogance. Shakespeare contextualises ideas of power as Iago attempts to shift the power balance in his favour, a reference to the previous scene with Roderigo, purposefully distinguishing ‘valiant Othello’ from the archetypal love-fool. He remains unperturbed to Iago’s attempts of tragic villainy, whether this is due to his valour, integrity, and ‘title’ or rather Shakespeare himself, sowing seeds of blindness in the play to launch the play into a tragedy can be up for debate. This also sets a building block for the end of the play, which leads to the audience to question whether these elements manifest him ‘rightly’ regarding his later actions.
Explain the quote ‘But I love thee gentle Desdemona’
The first sincere reference to love in the play. Othello’s positive view of his relationship with Desdemona conflicts with the way it is perceived by others. ‘Gentle’ is a pun which means both kind-hearted and of noble birth. By stressing that Desdemona is ‘gentle’ does Shakespeare reinforce or undermine our view of Othello as a deserving romantic hero?
Othello’s soft language contrasts with his image painted by other characters. He juxtaposes love with war to highlight the two distinct parts of his life: battle and his wife. As he describes Desdemona as gentle, this could be Shakespeare presenting Othello as aware of their many differences reinforced by his communication through blank verse
Explain the quote ‘Keep up your bright swords for the dew will rust them’
Gentle sarcasm to once again reveal this heroic nature that effectively presents himself as the tragic hero. There is a sense of beauty and danger in this line.
Explain the quote ‘Rude am I in my speech and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace’
Provides indication of his calmness, assurance, and openness in contrast to the more emotional and agitated utterances of Brabantio to exude his nature as a tragic hero (Aristotle stated that a tragic hero needed to possess virtuous traits). Though Othello says that he is not an accomplished speaker, his dialogue strikes one as that of a person who does have oratorical skills. The first two lines are taken up with showing respect for the senators. The number of complimentary words – potent, grave, reverend, noble, good – indicates a desire to draw a favourable response from them and might even suggest a degree of flattery. The indication, too, of their superiority – they are the masters, he the servant – further enforces this. Although Brabantio is also a senator, Othello’s words set him apart and establish a contrast between the ‘potent’ signiors and ‘this old man’, impotently complaining at his daughter’s marriage to the Moor. We might see a hint of disrespect here, though we should have to bear in mind Othello’s respectful treatment of Brabantio in the previous scene.
Explain the quote ‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, and I loved her, that she did pity them’
Othello speaks of his love poetically, speaking with purpose and clarity. His love for Desdemona and himself is reinforced through their speech pattern. Desdemona employs the same dignified and purposeful idioms that he communicates with. It is through this that Shakespeare convey the harmonious and mutual affection between the two lovers the lovers are ‘well Tun’d’ as Iago expresses it
Explain the quote ‘Let her have your voice’
Although this is reflective of the rigid patriarchal venetian society, it reveals Othello’s love for Desdemona. He acts as a guide to Desdemona’s character to freedom.
Explain the quote ‘If it were now to die, ‘Twere now to be most happy’
Adynaton revealed the irony of this statement. It foreshadows the tragic aftermath of the play
Explain the quote ‘Now by heaven my blood begins my safer guides to rule’
Links to his peripetia as it is the first indication of Othello’s downfall – his peaceful nature has changed, and he is angrier due to Iago’s influence
Explain the quote ‘Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul’
Oxymoron to describe Desdemona ‘wretch’ has connotations of a despicable person and from this point on he believes this to be true due to Iago’s misleading manipulations.
Phrase is often performed with a sudden outburst of rage
The adjective excellent is transformed with a new meaning that represents his growing disgust
It is a departure from the eloquence earlier in the play
Perdition means destruction or damnation - being sent to hell
where elsewhere in the play, Othello alludes to heaven here the reference to hell consolidates our perception that he is on a destructive trajectory.
Does his reference to hell suggests that throwing away of his Christian nature, further suggests that he is on the road to a tragic trajectory
Explain the quote ‘But I do love thee! And when I love thee not, chaos comes again.’
Emergence of hamartia, he is easily swayed by the opinions of other such as the ‘pestilence’ that Iago pours into his ears.
Explain the quote ‘I am bound to thee forever’
Foreshadows Othello’s tragic demise, it reveals how his one noble nature has been forever tainted by the acts of Iago. In act 5 scene 2, we see Othello’s attempt to regain his nobility, yet his speech is clouded by his previous actions which will be forever linked to Iago. After his death, Othello is indeed ‘bound to thee forever’.
‘If I do prove her haggard, though her jesses were my dear heartstrings, I’d whistle her off, and let her down the wind to prey at fortune’
The structure of the sentence is constructed in a way that it feels like a tug on a leash.
This tactic is especially effective as this is a highly visual sentence.
Personification is used from Othello to depict Desdemona as a wretched bird who is leashed through marriage to his heart but would be send off to fend herself had she been proven as unfaithful.
This diction is interesting as it comes right after he has praised Iago and the comparison of humans to animals is commonly used by Iago.
The comparison to a female falcon is symbolic as female falcons are known to be unruly and when personified refer to a woman being unchaste.
The continuous alliteration throughout the sentence adds to the illusion that the sentence is a tug on the leash.
Explain the quote ‘Haply, for I am black and have not those soft parts of conversation that chamberers have, or for I am declined into the vale of years – yet that’s not much – she’s gone, I am abused, and my relief must be to loathe her.’
His dialogue is created with the purpose to calm his panic driven state yet despite that,
the use of punctuation consisting of hyphens and commas contrast such a thought.
is lack of self-confidence follows the trend of Iago’s brainwashing, for once a powerful official is now reduced to a muddle of insecurities and self-doubts.
A juxtaposition of feelings such as ‘relief’ and ‘loathe’ reveal the bitter mind state that Othello is in
Explain the quote ‘O curse of marriage, that we can call these delicate creatures ours and not their appetites!’
This phrase is in the form of lament,
just when he was resolved loathing Desdemona, his love for her and his conflicting emotions fuel his cry.
This sentence also shows the conflict between Iago’s influence and his own natural tendencies referring to his wife as a “delicate creature” but then saying he’s frustrated by her sexual “appetite.” This vulgarity is out of character.
This sentence is an apostrophe speaking to the “curse of marriage.
“Guttural Alliteration occurs in the form of the “c” sound being repeated.
Perhaps, this is to support a feeling of angry cursing since it is a hard sound.
